Abigail Parker just wants to get through the holidays, but fate has other plans…

After a year of unexpected twists, Abigail finds herself in the small town of Sugarville Grove, Vermont, as the guardian of her late cousin’s two young children. Leaving behind her bustling city life and dream job at a veterinary practice, Abigail’s only goal is to adjust to her new responsibilities and figure out how to be the mother they need. Falling for her rugged, no-nonsense neighbor is definitely not part of the plan.

Luke Hayes has his hands full raising his lively four-year-old daughter, Lily, while managing his family’s maple syrup farm. With his heart still scarred from being abandoned by Lily’s mother, Luke has sworn off romance. But when a broken fence and a mischievous dog bring Abigail into his life, he starts to wonder if maybe love isn’t as far out of reach as he thought.

As the holiday lights sparkle and the snow falls, Abigail and Luke find themselves drawn together, despite their differences. But with Abigail adjusting to her new life and Luke determined to protect his heart, it will take more than a little Christmas magic to bring them together.

Titles in the duo-author Sugarville Grove series include: Sweet Surprises by Clara Pines ~ Unexpected Gifts by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Surrender by Clara Pines ~ Christmas Promises by Tess Thompson ~  Sweet Home by Clara Pines ~ Christmas Treasures by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Music by Clara Pines ~ Savoring Christmas by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Fortune by Clara Pines ~ (2/10/2026) ~ Christmas Encore by  Tess Thompson (2/12/2026) ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors/fade to black, or only kissing.

Title:  Unexpected Gifts
Series:  Sugarville Grove #2
Author:  Tess Thompson
Published:  December 5, 2024
Publisher:  Pine Nut Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Unexpected Gifts is the second title in the duo-author series, Sugarville Grove.  We are about to meet Abigail and Luke, two people who experienced having their lives turned upside down due to circumstances beyond their control.  Luke married, had a beautiful baby girl, Lily.  When Lily was only weeks old, her mother decided she didn’t want to be married, didn’t want to be tied down with a baby, and left both her husband and child in her rearview mirror.  Without his parents, his brothers, Luke would have fallen into despair… but family, especially the Hayes family, gathered the wagons and have done everything possible to ensure that little Lily has a happy, secure life and is surrounded by love. 

Abigail often visited her cousin, Ramona, in Sugerville Grove over summer vacation.  Then life happened, and she left the small town where she had spent so many happy years.  Today, Abigail has her life mapped out, living in the city, loving her job at a veterinary practice, until once again, life happened.  Her beloved cousin has passed away suddenly, leaving Abigail as the guardian of Ramona’s ten-year-old daughter, Sophie, and her six-year-old son, Jack, who both live in Sugarville Grove.  She didn’t hesitate, didn’t question, simply packed up her life and headed back to the town that had always felt like home to care for the children. 

She’s convinced this is going to be a disaster since she has had little experience with caring for young children, but those kids need her, and she won’t back down from the challenges ahead.  She’s scared, but that fear is nothing compared to what Sophie and Jack are facing now.  Her big, lovable dog, Rufus, will find a way to reunite Abigail with her teenage crush, Luke, when he escapes through a fence and practically runs over Lily in his enthusiasm to greet the little girl: to say her father was furious that Abigail couldn’t control the large dog would be an understatement, protective daddy is fuming.  Great way to be reintroduced to her teenage crush, right?

I loved everything about Unexpected Gifts by Tess Thompson.  We met the Lawrence family in the first story of this series, Sweet Surprises by Clara Pines, and now the Hayes family will round out the alternating families of Sugarville Grove that we’ll interact with most in this series.  The Hayes brothers are boisterous, constantly teasing each other, loyal to a fault, and devoted to each other.  There are so many layers to this family, and I’m going to enjoy getting to know them all by the series’ end.  Luke and Abigail are attracted to each other, although neither is very trusting at the moment.  Abigail is rather overwhelmed at the responsibility of caring for Sophie and Jack, both of whom are missing their mother so much.  Luke is reluctant to place his heart in any woman’s hands again after the way he was destroyed by his ex-wife.  Yet, they are drawn to each other, and the Christmas season has a few miracles in store for this couple.  A comforting sense of family is so strong in Luke and Abigail’s story.  Watching walls crumble, feelings being acknowledged, and healing begin to take place for all of them was a wonderful, emotional journey. It’s well-written, emotional, and believable in every sense.  If that sounds like your kind of Christmas Romance, then you’ll love Unexpected Gifts by Tess Thompson.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)